Other than surgery, non-invasive manipulation, and nutrition, the major means of treating diseases and medical conditions is by the use of prescribed and over-the-counter drugs. Drugs which can be harmful if misused or abused are usually required by regulation to be prescribed by a licensed physician and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist.
A prescription is conventionally a written order or “script” by a physician identifying the medication to be dispensed, the dosage, and the time interval at which the dosage is to be taken, or applied in the case of a topical drug. The identity of the drug may include the brand name or its pharmaceutical equivalent. Dosage may include the concentration or the weight of the tablet or capsule containing the active ingredient and may include special instructions, such as before or after meals, before bedtime, or the like. A total number of dosage units is sometimes factored into the dosage for a given medication. In general, prescriptions are intended to achieve and maintain a desired concentration of a drug within a patient for a selected length of time to treat a medical condition.
One problem with the conventional manner of prescriptions is that they are handwritten on a slip of paper. Although errors in filling prescriptions because of legibility problems are rare, they can occur with potentially serious consequences. A conscientious pharmacist will call the prescribing physician if there are any doubts about the prescription script. Another potential problem is that prescriptions can be counterfeited by use of a physician's prescription forms. This usually occurs only with drugs having an abuse or addiction potential. Another problem is that the benefit of a prescribed drug can be diminished if the patient does not follow the prescribed schedule in taking it.
Electronic prescription reminder devices which are programmed with the prescription schedule of one or more drugs are known. Such a device sounds an alarm when it is time to take a medication according to the schedule. Also known are devices which record compliance by the patient in taking a prescription. However, the problems in clearly conveying the prescription information to the pharmacist and prevention of counterfeiting or tampering with prescriptions are not addressed by these devices.